Case studies in physiology: Breath-hold diving beyond 100 meters—cardiopulmonary responses in world-champion divers

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningfagfællebedømt

  • Alexander Patrician
  • Christopher Gasho
  • Boris Spajić
  • Caldwell, Hannah Grace
  • Darija Baković-Kramaric
  • Otto Barak
  • Ivan Drviš
  • Željko Dujić
  • Philip N Ainslie

In this case study, we evaluate the unique physiological profiles of two world-champion breath-hold divers. At close to current world-record depths, the extreme physiological responses to both exercise and asphyxia during progressive elevations in hydrostatic pressure are profound. As such, these professional athletes must be capable of managing such stress, to maintain performing at the forefront human capacity. In both divers, pulmonary function before and after deep dives to 102 m and 117 m in the open sea was assessed using noninvasive pulmonary gas exchange (indexed via the O2 deficit, which is analogous to the traditional alveolar to arterial oxygen difference), ultrasound B-line scores, airway resistance, and airway reactance. Hydrostatic-induced lung compression was also quantified via spirometry. Both divers successfully performed their dives. Pulmonary gas exchange efficiency was impaired in both divers at 10 min but had mostly restored within a few hours. Mild hemoptysis was transiently evident immediately following the 117-m dive, whereas both divers experienced nitrogen narcosis. Although B-lines were only elevated in one diver postdive, reductions in airway resistance and reactance occurred in both divers, suggesting that the compressive strain on the structural characteristics of the airways can persist for up to 3.5 h. Marked echocardiographic dyssynchrony was evident in one diver after 10 m of descent, which persisted until resolving at ~77 m during ascent. In summary, despite the enormous hydrostatic and physiological stress to diving beyond 100 m on a single breath, these data provide valuable insight into the extraordinary capacity of those at the pinnacle of apneic performance. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study shows that world-champion breath-hold divers demonstrate incredible tolerability to extreme levels of hydrostatic-induced lung compression. Immediately following dives to >100 m, there were acute impairments in pulmonary gas exchange efficiency, mild accummulation of extravascular lung fluid, noticable intrathoracic discomfort, and evident nitrogen narcosis, however, within a few hours, these had all mostly resolved.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftJournal of Applied Physiology
Vol/bind130
Udgave nummer5
Sider (fra-til)1345-1350
Antal sider6
ISSN8750-7587
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2021
Eksternt udgivetJa

Bibliografisk note

(Ekstern)
Funding Information:
P.N.A. was supported by a Canada Research Chair, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grant and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation. A.P. and H.G.C were supported by NSERC Doctoral Grants.

Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2021 the American Physiological Society

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